When news of yet another data breach comes out, the reaction can range from panic to “blah.” At the one of end of the spectrum, consumers can be left with documented feelings of stress, fear and even paranoia about further attacks to their identity. At the same time, a very real phenomenon known as “data breach fatigue” occurs when there are so many attacks that consumers stop taking them seriously.

Fortunately, a new tool can help consumers make sense of a data breach; while neither overreaction nor inaction is an appropriate response, this tool can help people who are affected by the breach understand their options and take corrective action.

Unfortunately, far too many consumers do not check up on these kinds of attacks until it is too late. Even then, many victims of data breaches do not follow up on the support that notification letters offer, including things like identity theft protection or credit monitoring.

Breach Clarity lets users type in a general search term for a known breach and see a graphic representation of the threat level based on a number of factors. These include things like understanding whether or not financial information was exposed or if Social Security numbers (or other sensitive PII) were accessed. From there, a one-to-ten risk score is provided so consumers understand just how seriously this could affect them. The Home Depot breach in 2014 only receives a 3 out of 10 because of the nature of the information that was stolen; the 2015 attack on the US government’s Office of Personnel Management was far more serious and received a 10 out of 10 risk score as a result.

Breach Clarity was unveiled at the 2019 KNOW Conference in Las Vegas where it won first place in the third annual Identity Startup Pitch Competition. The criteria for selecting a grand prize winner included factors like the degree to which the entrant meets the customer’s needs and expectations, innovation, originality, and more.

Contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at (888) 400-5530. For on-the-go assistance, check out the free ID Theft Help App from ITRC.